Council sets protocols regarding city seal and flag

T.O. city flag

The City Council last week discussed polices and procedures regarding the city seal and flag.

The Thousand Oaks city seal consists of a bright yellow sun shining on an oak tree, an outline of Ventura County and a gold California grizzly bear facing left with a star.

The seal with these symbols also decorates the city flag.

The city flag that flies outside city hall became an agenda topic when a request came from Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center to display it alongside the Stars and Stripes and the California state flag.

The city seal became a political issue last year when thenMayor Dennis Gillette used it on his website and mailers while campaigning for reelection.

A similar complaint arose during the 2002 election. Gillette removed the seal from his website and campaign literature after the city attorney advised him that state law had changed, making such uses illegal. In 2002, Gillette had been advised he could use it, he said.

Gillette was reelected both times.

Gillette was among the council members who voted unanimously to prohibit use of the city seal in candidate or committee campaign literature.

They also decided the city flag is for municipal facilities and for city businesses, if approved by the city clerk or city manager.

The new ordinance didn't specify if or how someone could appeal the city clerk's or city manager's decision on flag use.

- Nancy Needham Acorn Bits Where'd we get that city seal anyway?

The city of T.O. was incorporated on Oct. 7, 1964, and in September 1965 residents and schoolchildren were invited to submit proposed designs for the city seal. On Nov. 2, 1965, a winner was announced, and the seal was designed from that concept. On May 16, 1989, the seal became official with an ordinance regarding its form, use and other policies. No changes were made on that ordinance until the council's June 28 meeting.